Excel Center expansion will help adults receive a high school diploma

ELKHART, Ind. (WSBT) — Redevelopment for the Woodland Cross shopping center is officially in the works!

Elkhart is one step closer to the Neighborhood Opportunity Hub becoming a reality with groundbreaking for the Goodwill Excel Center Expansion.

The community celebrated the groundbreaking of the Goodwill Excel Center expansion that will take over the former Sears building.

“The mayor talks a lot about why it’s important for us to start building for tomorrow’s Elkhart and we feel like projects like this are helping us kind of start that process today,” said Mike Huber, City of Elkhart Development Services Director.

It’s all part of a partnership between the city, Goodwill, and Heart City Health.

Goodwill will take up half of the 100,000 square feet, offering a multitude of services to the Elkhart Community, a project costing over 5 million.

“Bringing in skills training whether it’s automotive construction you know some other ideas that we’re looking at it’s working to help with individuals who may have a little more difficulty finding in retaining that job you know or just to drop in and say hey, can you take a look at my résumé does it look right?” said Debie Coble, Goodwill, President and chief executive officer.

Also offering Nurse-Family partnership program which pairs first-time parents with nurses that will guide and help families throughout the entire pregnancy.

A high school Excel center will also be offered where people are able to earn college credits or career certificates.

“There are 200,000 adults that do not have a high school diploma and so that is just staggering. We have a solution now and that is a tuition free high school program for 18 and older where it’s a high school diploma. It is not a GED program,” said Coble.

Heart City health will be taking up the other half of the former Sear's space offering primary health care services including urgent care, physical therapy, and expanding into nutrition services.

<<>38:38 – 6 sec - Esleen Fultz - heart city health center chief executive officer “the exciting part is that we are able to bring services that touches everyone lives in one way, or the other,” said Esleen Fultz, Heart City Health Center Chief Executive Officer.

Goodwill officials expect construction to be complete by the end of the year.

Heart City Health anticipates groundbreaking sometime in August.